The object of the present patent application is to register a cardiac surgery retractor which incorporates notable innovations and advantages with respect to the techniques used hitherto.
More specifically, the invention proposes the development of a cardiac surgery retractor, which due to the particular arrangement thereof, facilitates the work of the surgeon during the cardiac surgery as well as improves the final results thereof.
The surgical operations in cardiovascular surgery are known in the current state of the art.
Some documents known in the current state of the art are, for example, US20040122293A1, US20110137128A1, US20150245828A1, US20080108877A1, US20090299147A1, US20150282795A1 or US20170065266A1.
The repair or replacement of the mitral, aortic or tricuspid valves is very common in these operations, whereby it is essential for the surgeons to have a good field of work and work space.
In the specific case of cardiac surgery of the mitral valve, good exposure of the mitral valve and its ring is essential for the surgeon.
In conventional surgery known in the state of the art, the sternum is opened with a retractor and then the surgical operation is carried out with the patient connected to an extracorporeal circulation machine to oxygenate the blood and pump it back to the body and using the so-called Cosgrove retractor, which has a sternal separator and two or three valves which are fixed to the sternal separator, in order to thus simultaneously carry out anterior traction and caudal traction with respect to the body.
Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is also known in the state of the art. The use thereof is increasingly more common in theatres and it is also starting to be applied little by little in heart operations where, in addition to reducing the scarring, it also serves for reducing the recovery time of the patients.
MIS allows complete sternotomy to be reduced or even avoided which is how the complete cutting and separation of the sternum is known, being the common incision in heart operations. In this way, instead of carrying out an incision of between 20 and 25 centimeters, an incision of barely seven centimeters is sufficient.
Once the incision has been carried out, endoscopic cameras can also be used which help to improve vision.
Potentially, MIS can be applied to between 50 and 60 percent of heart surgeries since it is possible to carry out valve replacements and even treat some tumors or congenic cardiopathies.
This is an alternative surgery with huge benefits, both aesthetic and for reducing the recovery time which, in turn, involves the patient getting back to work sooner.
In minimally invasive mitral surgery, only an anterior traction valve is used. There is a metal arm articulated with the valve for separating the wall of the left auricle in the caudal direction.
The present invention helps to facilitate said surgical operations for the surgeon as well as to improve the final result thereof, both in conventional cardiac surgery and MIS, since it provides the surgeon with significantly improved working conditions in relation to the known state of the art.